Whale Shark, Trevally And Yakkas!

[Kit]

I thought I'd post a few pics from my recent visit to Osaka Aquarium in Japan.

In the largest tank there is a whale shark.

There are also other fish like rays, sharks, huge trevally (1.5m+) and big yellowtail (some up to around 30cm).

I'm sure the yellowtail don't feel too secure so they all school up around the whale shark.

As you'll see in the pics below, the whale shark swims around while the yellowtail all school up around it. The Trevally casually follow the whale shark around and every so often break the school of yakkas. They're pretty sneaky the Trevas.. they swim around casually as if nothing is wrong, then one will lunge at the school.

I had the pleasure of seeing an unlucky yellowtail get taken and quickly gobbled up by a Treva.

I didn't get to capture this moment, and I stood around for the next 15 mins waiting for it to happen again but the trevas kept on missing...

here are some pics:

The trevas swimming around and scoping the prey:

One takes a lunge from underneath, scattering the school:

Missed!:

On another note, Yellowtail are called Jack Mackeral over there, and Yellowtail Kingfish are called Yellowtail.

I remember seeing at a South Australian fish shop once Yellowtail being labelled as Mackeral too..

I thought Yakkas were related to Trevally and are not Mackeral at all?

Chris

Edited June 11, 2008 by Kit

[xtosea]

Top shots Chris, ive seen other shots of other fish from there and that Aquarium is crazy!

Kamil

[georgieboy]

wow that sure looks a bit better than sydney aquarium...dunno what they are gonna do when the whale shark reaches full size tho

[no idea]

good shots mate, its amazing they have built a tank big enough to hold a whale shark.

yer i know when i was fishing in borneo the guy said we need to catch some tuna for bait i was getting excited when i saw birds and the surface boliing then he handed me a bait jig i casted in and came back with yellow tail, know to them as tuna as well as bonito, queenfish, and tinny long tail tuna all became live bait for barracuda.

[WillN]

awesome shots, didn't know there were any whale sharks in captivity